sub zero temps!!

I feel so helpless knowing that there are so many animals suffering in this zero temp. here in the north east..

Maybe there's something to be done? Coming from a warmer climate myself, I'm hardly an expert but I would think setting up a shelter for feral cats and providing melted water in the morning may help?

Hey Dumac....you can build a shelter pretty inexpensively for homeless cats:

http://www.all-creatures.org/ak/feral-shelter.html

I know it won't help them all..but it will help some.

Katie

Dumac,

I know how you feel. Although we haven't yet gone sub-zero here, I have a hard time sleeping on the really cold nights knowing that all of the ferals are out there in the cold. I have some great shelters in my yard, which helps a lot. The cats seem to stay warm enough in them, which is fairly reassuring. Every morning and night I put a heat disc in the shelters to add a little warmth. You just microwave the discs for a few minutes and they stay warm for about 8 hours. I'll find the web address for them if you're interested.

Renae

Hi Renae,
Yes, please let me know about the heat disks...
I just started caring for a feral cat that lives behind a shopping center..it is about 6 miles from my house..a week ago we trapped her 5-6 month old kitten(the lone survivor from her last batch)and she is now fixed and being socialized. But the mom is still in the wild..we will trap her beginning of march--neuter her and return her...i have made a house for her there--found an old dog house (plastic) and put straw in it...then yesterday i took a cardboard box and covered it with plastic and put it in the dog house facing backwards--so she now has protection from the wind. i worry cause i can't give her water cause it freezes.i just hope the weather hasn't gotten to her. it was well below 0 last nite...
I too have trouble sleeping thinking of all the poor animals that are suffering...
Ursula

I put warm water out and I then watch it freeze. Sigh! I feel like you do. I cannot quiet my mind knowing the kitties are cold. They peek into the patio door. But if they see me they run. I sneak up to them now and pull the curtains back to watch them. They look at my inside kitties with interest but I cannot get close enough to help them.

You are lucky since you can at least see them..i haven't seen the mommy cat in several weeks...the food is always gone, but sometimes i think that could be another animal...i did see kitty prints in the snow last week though....and i worry that people in the little shopping center will come out and destroy the shelter that i put there for her--it is way in the back past all the dumpsters and hard to see (hard to get to also). but there is one lady in the deli who puts food out for the mommy cat all the time, so i do not need to go there daily--just every other day...according to the deli lady, this mommy cat has been there for about 2 years..i find it strange that she is the only cat around there now..don't feral cats usually live in groups???

If you have access to electicity nearby there are heated water bowls available to prevent water from freezing. I've seen them at Walmart.

I know whatcha mean,it's so sad

Dumac,

Click here for the link to the heat disks. You might also be able to find them at PetsMart or some other pet store.

I use a birdbath heater to keep the water from freezing. I use a lasrge flat birdbath, placed on the ground rather than on a post, and have the heater in the water. I've used this for years..it works great. But, for Dumac and others who don't have access to electricity, I don't have a clue how to help.

I am going to go and get a heat disk--thanks for the info.....my problem is that this feral cat is quite a ways from my home and i don't like to go there in the evening cause it is behind a shopping center, etc...so even if i put it there at 3 in the afternoon it should have some effect--right!!!....i know you are not supposed to put fabric in a feral's shelter, but what about those kitty mats that reflect the body heat back onto the cat--and esp. if the shelter were checked daily to be sure it hasn't gotten wet...has anyone had any luck with these mats????
Ursula

Would the heat disks work in water ( to keep the water from freezing also?) Would it be safe??

I don't have access to outdoor electricity either and my water freezes in an hour so I have to keep replacing the frozen water with hot water...

don't know if that would work--i have the same problem with water..on one of the other boards, someone mentioned a hot rock to keep the water from freezing--but i don't know where to get one or how it works....

I think you are talking about this post:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...threadid=30736

And hissy said you could heat the rock in an old iron skillet (just make sure to use PAM).

Katie